PALM CITY/TESORO
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Service animal heads to South Fork Katie’s mother and father, Jeri Lynn and Robert O’Brien, subconsciously reached to comfort their 16-year-old, epileptic daughter. Ellie sat up and looked at Katie expectantly. She was instantly ready to do her job, a job she’s still training for. Ellie is a 6-month-old golden retriever in training to detect the onset of epileptic seizures and help Katie though the often traumatic experiences. Ellie is heading to South Fork High School with Katie next school year. She may be Martin County Schools’ first student-handled service animal. The Americans with Disabilities Act and other legislation protect Katie’s rights to have Ellie at school, work and play. “Grand mal” is the term for a severe epileptic seizure, the sort Katie remembers with vivid recollection down to the places,
Patrick McCallister Staff writer
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
PALM CITY — Katie O’Brien’s eyes reddened when she talked about a grand mal seizure she had in the eighth grade. Her breathing noticeably quickened, her head dipped and turned away slightly. Just thinking about the experience, talking about it, evoked a shadow of the fear, the desperation she felt years earlier.
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Time to get star-spangled Box Derby Association. “The two winners from Staff writer this event will go to Akron pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com (Ohio) for the nationals,” he said. MARTIN COUNTY — The International Soap There’s plenty of patriotic Box Derby will be July 21 fun to be had on Indepento 27. dence Day at Star SpanStar Spangled Stuart will gled Stuart. It’ll be Martin climax with a half-hour County’s only fireworks fireworks show starting at show this July 4. 9 p.m. Events kick off at 7 a.m. “Of course, the fireworks,” with a good, old-fashBrechbill said. “Creative ioned soapbox derby. Fireworks is doing the Mark Brechbill, board performance. They’ve been member of Star Spangled doing it since the ‘50s. Stuart, said the race is sanctioned by the See SPANGLED page 8 All-American Soap
“The market looks like it’s healing, but recovery takes time. I expect the recovery to be slow with bumps along the way.” Laurel Kelly
FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013
2,000 pounds or bust
Brother and sister seeking to double donations
Unemployment done Jobless rate lowest since 2008
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Property values on rise
Taxable property values up for first time since 2007
Patrick McCallister
Local Postal Customer
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Road to Victory
Military museum wants to move to airport
12 Celebrate early
Fourth of July kicks up this weekend at Kane Center
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Photo courtesy of Star Spangled Stuart Fireworks will fly over the county from 9-9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4.
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